Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-21
A TERRIBLE NIGHT.
A FEARFUL TIME WITH RATTLE
SNAKES AND INDIANS.
rate Of Xiekapoos TO Nader
and Rob

SAILOR or ulgWnG gold az miner, anI
fighting Indians as scout, aud yet thu
closest escape / ever had from dealt
VAS with NY eyes wide open and
through my own stupidity. Early IL
The seventies / WAS down in Indian
Territory buying horses for shipment
east. ! had partner, and We travelled
with orr own team ia O covered wagon
That Territory isn't any too peaceful
now. but N lSi2-'73 you not only
wanted trusty rifle with You. but
yCu wanted the knack 0f dropping
Nour man first. Travelling from ranch
to ranch as We did, with everybody
knowing that We had money e.
luy horses Will, our situation was one
requiring constant vigilance. Their,
was never night that both 81 rs slept
az QI,c. and never day that We We're
not CA the watch for some plan 10 get
the better Of us. IN one trip Of threc
months Wc had five different natch-dOgs
poisoned. and finally gave mp trying to
Keep one. You might imagine That 1t
Wou!9 have been worth while Tor some
of The predatory bands roaming the
country 90 make an open attack on rs.
hut the fellows reasoned differently. a
couple Of men Il med with Wiuchostcrs
and rcyolyors. and determined TO de
fcnd their Own Ut any cost. are antlgo-
INST, not g. he dcspisod. Your western
outlaw, with very few exceptions. Is
Jus. ne careful about getting bullet
nto his body rs any one else.
One day m July, while We were on
the north forh of the Canadian river,
and about twenty miles below Shaw
ncctoWn, one OF the horses in ourtcan
was bitten by = rattlcsnake was
driving, aud | saw the snake as it lifted
itself from the grass and bite the horse
twice on the leg II was hot day, the
horse well heated MP, and the poison
took effect vcTy soon. W. had 10
remedy for II. bat were compelled +
stand by and see the animal suffer and
die. II wasn't quite an hour after he
was struck before lie WIS dead. In
buying horses We stipulated for de
livery at certain points. and thus had
nospare ones withu.. TO make Ourtcam
"
and rde off aud make a purchase. /
had been over the route before. and |
know that the nearest ranch was twelve
miles mp the riyCr II was now O'Clock
~ the afternoon, and We were within
ldlf a mile Of the stream and IN n wild
and lonely district OF country. We had
with MS IN Il tin box in the WAGON over
g. .ocG in gold, and the misfortune t.
Or borsc naturally increased our ankle
tres. My partner insisted that should
D.. tie one to remain with the wa ON,
and Ec had 30 sooner moved away thln
: logon 20 make things ssc1r:. T.,e
,,N inst move was to take the tin box
tDm TIE wagon and bury it in the
ground under the vehicle, aud after
flat / staked ont the horse, saw that
DOy frcam was in good order, and
i,at around the camp 70 drive away
.I y reptiles lurking about.
iLGc was 10 use in expecting Pat
.Du. Jay partner back before s O'Clock
.I lnt.r. lie would doubtless find
-utanlc horse at the frst ranch, bnt
.lc iauchmau might he away, or there
we've dozen other reasons 10 call for
i,ny. We carried provisions with rs,
.ud nj ahout o'clock / built . fire and
prepared my supper, AMI Was shout to
,g.u eating when caught sight Of a
.orse and Incorporating camp from
.lc northwest. Ihc GROUND Wa, open
for tlr.e or four miles, and as ! hal a
lass with me | made ont. while the
oisc WAS yet mile and half swdy,
Hat De- Lone q woman ON his back. Had
.Ac been squaw the sight would not
ave occasioued surprise, lut the first
Ooh Vroy,dt that She WIS white and That
her horse was faded and coming slowly.
ss held the glass on her ! ssw her
urn and look back, 2. one pursued,
md long before she reached ne hsl
cc0mc greatly interested ~ her case.
She rode straight for the wagon, and
wien she finally came up her horse Was
,Dry much blown. and the womlns
..sr seemed To- hctrly both hope and
Dar Nv Turns She WAS an average
,oi ing female, about forty years Oil,
md as She drew rein beside me ~ sur
.,v,d each other for half a minute hc-
lore either spoke During that interval
caught an impression on her face
Which did not at all like. 1t was Il
Nv. sinister look, but it pissed swiftly
.wav. and was replaced by one Of
anxiety. wa. The first ID speak, say
ing:
"WeN. are Won in trouhlc>'
"ln great tioubls, ain, she replied.
81 have been living with my brother
lu small ranch about fifteen miles
distant. THoLoursasoa dozen drunken
kickaroo Indians visited the place,
wounded my brother, and set fire to
.lc house. aud would have assaulted !
PEE lad ] not fled OLA this horse. They
muued ne for several miles, and +
Huo she broke down and began to
~ and sob. What could DO but ask
.er 90 di-mount give her my promise
protection. and say that when my !
uiner returned we would drive |
uieht to the ranch and sacrifice our |
ives. ii need he, to rescue her brother
nd teach the Indians "a lesson She |
ontiuucd to cry and lament and wodld |
.ot touch a mouthful Of food
il had grown dark by the time | had |
aten my supper, and 1t was now tlme |
% look for Patton. sought, as any |
aan would 10 under the circumstances, |
q cheer the woman up, and by-and-by |
he gave up crying and seemed blt |
more hopeful. She explained that she
ad removed to the territory from
'larksulle. Arb. three years before, |
eng n widow with one son. The son /
ad died within the year, and the brother, !
,ho was an old bachelor and not IN
ood health. had come on 10 remain un-
II the place could be sold out. y
lickapoo buck had taken n great fancy |
o the woman and wanted to marry ner,
nd her indignant refusal had called /
own the raid made that day. Her |
tory filled me with Indignation, and as
he night came on was terribly impa- /
lent for Patton to return. About half /
,ast 8 o'clock | heard the gallop OF
Iorscs, and was ready to welcome my /
.artner, but before they came i'll sight |
he widow sprang up in great terror and
ned out.
"Oh, sir, they are Indians who have
cen on my trail Don't lot them
IKE me away Let me hide IN the
.agon %,
ain with you quick, and they will
ove 10 kill me before they lay hands /